Re: (ET) Wheelhorse E-81 and E-141

[jim <fiskfarm mediaone net>]

I am in the process of converting mine to 6V bats as they are much better 
and a
far simpler set up (not to mention the lower cost). This requires some seat
lifting and minor frame changes to accommodate the taller batteries. The 
141 is a
nice tough tractor but all that clutch work and the constant wine of the 
always
running motor are certainly not in the ET tradition. Also the entirely 
different
attachment mounts are a pain when you have all these GE type devices. So I
specialize it to the mid mount mower and the grader blade. The 12m gets 
the blade
in the summer as that I am able to attach to either one. The mower on the 
141 is
readily adjustable from the seat.

Jim

John wrote:

> Hi all; I bought an E81 from Bill a few years ago and this is a design 
> all
> its own not based on a GE model. The mower deck is not able to raise and
> lower from the seat as is the GE. The charger is off board and it doesn't
> use a plastic body as does the GE. Bill had a couple E-141's the last 
> time I
> was and was taking offers on the lot. Unfortunately I don't have room for
> them, they would be an interesting addition John
>
> >
> > Dennis and other GE groupies,
> >
> > The Wheel Horse E81 is identical to one of the two GE electric riding
> > lawnmowers.  GE made
> > an ER8-36, which is not what the E81 is, but I cannot remember the 
> > other GE
> model.
> >
> > The E141 was a Wheel Horse only design based on a gasoline tractor 
> > chassis.
> >  It used as
> > delivered six 12 volt batteries, wired in a series/parallel 
> > arrangement to
> > give 36 volts.  Bill
> > Gunn once theorized that Wheel horse did that because at that time the 
> > six
> > volt EV batteries
> > were being supplanted by the 12 volt types.  Of course, the six volt EV
> > battery is still with
> > us.  Unfortunately the use of 12 volt batteries gave you twice as many
> > cells to top off with
> > water, and created the possibility of charge imbalance during 
> > charging.  It
> > also used a Wheel
> > Horse supplied off board charger.
> >
> > The E141 used a single speed traction motor with either a seven or 
> > eight
> > speed shift on the fly
> > transmission, which I believe was Wheel Horse designed .  Reverse was 
> > also by
> the
> > transmission.  This transmission was also used on some of the Wheel 
> > Horse
> > gasoline tractors.
> >
> > The mid mounted mower deck used a single large electric motor with belt
> > drive vs. the GE
> > three motors on a front or mid mount (E12-M).  This made the deck 
> > almost
> > identical to the gas
> > powered decks, although the electric deck could not be supplied with a
> > grass clipping bagger,
> > where the gasoline versions could.  I suspect a power limitation in the
> > electric motor not
> > present in the gasoline powered tractor.
> >
> > Hope this helps,
> >
> > Steve Naugler